NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Capital IQ (MHFI) announced today that it has commenced Factual Stock Report coverage on J Sainsbury Plc.

J Sainsbury plc (LSE: SBRY; OTC: JSAIY) operates over 1,200 supermarkets and convenience stores and has an online grocery and general merchandise operation. It also has two property joint ventures with Land Securities Group Plc and The British Land Company Plc. In addition, its Sainsbury's Bank subsidiary provides a range of banking and insurance products. The company is actively pursuing new sites to expand its convenience store portfolio across the United Kingdom. The company's supermarkets provide a range of food products, and in the larger stores, home ware, cook ware and the company's Tu clothing range. Sainsbury says it is the U.K.'s seventh largest clothing retailer by volume and tenth largest by value. Own-brand products account for 49% of the company's food sales. Sainsbury sells over 1,900 own-brand products sourced from the U.K. Sainsbury's Local stores are the smallest in the Sainsbury's estate, typically around 2,300 square feet (spelling space excluding checkouts) in size. They are intended to provide local people with quality, fresh affordable food within walking distance of their homes, and to serve those who need to top up their shopping. The company aims to open convenience stores at a rate of one to two per week.

Sainsbury's operates an internet shopping service branded as "Sainsbury's Online". To use this service customers choose their grocery items online, or by phone. Picking assistants then collect the required items from the shop floor which are delivered to customers from a company selected store by van.

The company says its customers are looking to shop seamlessly across its channels, using laptops, mobile phones and tablets, and Sainsbury is developing the technology to support this. The company also seeks to make online shopping more convenient, with a Click & Collect service for groceries being rolled out across the U.K. Sainsbury continues to develop other services through Mobile by Sainsbury's, Sainsbury's Energy and Sainsbury's Entertainment.

Recently Sainsbury launched its Tu clothing website online providing nationwide access to the collection. The service offers home delivery or customers can chose to click & collect at one of 710 stores.
Sainsbury took 100% ownership of Sainsbury's Bank in January 2014 and are part way through the transition to become a standalone bank. The company sees significant growth opportunities for Sainsbury's Bank, in particular capitalizing on the brand loyalty effect they see from their customers. Last year they saw a 13% increase in the number of Sainsbury's Bank credit cards being used within their stores. The number of active accounts held by customers has now reached 1.7 million, an increase of 6%.

Sainsbury's was established as a partnership in 1869 when John James Sainsbury and his wife Mary Ann opened a store at 173 Drury Lane in Holborn, London. He started as a retailer of fresh foods and later expanded into packaged groceries such as tea and sugar. His trading philosophy, as stated on a sign outside his first shop in Islington, was, "Quality perfect, prices lower".

The following company website offers full analyst listings and consensus: http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/investor-centre/analyst-consensus/analyst-details/

Year end is 52 week period ending approximately March 15.

S&P Capital IQ's Factual Stock Report coverage on J Sainsbury Plc will also be accessible on an ongoing basis to the investment community by scores of buy-side institutions and sell-side firms that utilize S&P Capital IQ research and information platforms daily. Millions of self-directed investors also have access to the report via their e-brokerage accounts. Please visit http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk for additional information.

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Currently profiling approximately 400 issuers, S&P Capital IQ (MHFI) Factual Stock Reports increase market awareness of issuers in the investment community with insightful commentary, key statistics, and relevant corporate information.  The Reports provide factual research coverage about company fundamentals and business prospects, thereby enabling information on the covered companies to reach a wide spectrum of Buy and Sell-side investors. Updated weekly with the latest pricing, trading volume, and other data, the Reports also capture recent company developments, a financial review, key operating information, industry and peer comparisons, Street Consensus, performance charts, business summary, fundamental data, and timely news stories. Coverage of these reports is underwritten by the issuer, therefore S&P Capital IQ does not offer investment opinions concerning the advisability of investing in these stocks.

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